And yet more evidence was this weekend's Hood River swap meet, normally regarded as the biggest in the country. This one struck me as down by 40% in sellers and maybe 60% in buyers from the last umpteen years of May swaps. Not a good sign.

The shoppers were a different crowd, too, with many expecting stuff to be danged near given away. Only one person even looked at a pair of top-of-the-line carbon booms in near-new condition, and he felt 40% of new discount/internet price was out of line. Not a good sign.

Roosevelt is normally SWAMPED this time of the year. Not this weekend. WSer attendance was off by maybe 80%, maybe even more, despite an excellent forecast. Not a good sign.

Even worse, from my perspective, was the the overwhelming avalanche of them kitey things. A few, even a few dozen, is not a problem if they're all good, solid advanced to expert sailors. But this year the place was flat mobbed out with strings (even the kiters were getting tangled in others' lines on the ground, where black lines are invisible), on the lawn and on the water, leaving little room for WSers. Not a good sign.

But worst of all was the alarming (in)competence level of many kiters. I reallyreallyreally wish novices and intermediates would go learn their sport at less risky, less unique venues. People playing hard in the swell and people learning how to operate their toys -- whether they involve strings, poles, or paddles -- is a risky mix. A telegraphed wind dropoff and direction shift stranded many lesser kiters offshore, where only a PWC saved them from a LONG swim with or without hypothermia (one guy was in a shorty when many others were in 5mm drysuits or steamers + vests)... not to mention a 120-mile rescue drive by highway. One very tentative kiter sailed right across my nose as I waterstarted, oblivious to the fact that a powered-up WSer can pop from neck-deep to a full plane within one second. Another was surprised when WSers cranked hard turns off the lips in front of him as he followed them in their blind spot. Tip: it's gonna happen; don't tailgate.

Not a good sign.

But there was a ray of sunshine penetrating the zoo: this was the best-behaved, most conscientious, least confrontational mob of humanity I've ever seen there, on both land and water. Folks who wanted to sleep actually could, almost all dogs were leashed (a good thing considering the $ix-figure$ array of fragile gear on the ground and the dog-owners' liability if any of it is damaged), and I saw or heard of zero conflicts anywhere.

That was a good sign.

Kiting at the Gorge does not sound fun. Between the sketchy launches , barges , currents , etc I think I would stick to WS. Thankfully here in Mass we have lots of big wide sandy beaches .

Take a deep breath before ya get Rigger Mortis, Riggit. You should know by now that not only CAN you not control others' behavior and fun, you shouldn't even WANT to, let alone try. Nobody's making you read it.

Take a deep breath before ya get Rigger Mortis, Riggit. You should know by now that not only CAN you not control others' behavior and fun, you shouldn't even WANT to, let alone try. Nobody's making you read it.

Now exhaaaaaaaaale. Thaaat's it! Doncha feel better now?

Clearly, tounge-in-cheek humor, if not all humor is lost on you. I pity the poor souls who are forced to interact with you as part of their day. What joyless funk you must drag around with you everywhere you go._________________Kansas City

I wonder how such an experiment is performed. A 65 foot snail toss is
no easy feat considering the mass of even a large snail. My suspicion
is that if the snail were tossed with some mechanical contrivance, the force
to accelerate the snail by itself would be enough to ensure that the snail
would never return, no matter the distance. ;*)

-Craig

GURGLETROUSERS wrote:

Talking of pests - a university team has conducted a survey into snail behaviour. They discovered that if you throw a snail 65 feet, it will not come back!

I don't wonder that windsurfing is dying when todays young brightest and best have so many such more important and worthwhile calls, on their time and energy.

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